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An overhead shot of roasted meat on bone with broth and tortillas.
Birrieria Don Bon.
Birrieria Don Boni.

14 Busy Stops to Dive Into LA’s Enduring Birria Scene

From Instagram-famous, super-cheesy tacos to old school bowls of goat, this is where to fill that birria craving

by Farley Elliott Updated
8 comments / new
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Birrieria Don Bon.
| Birrieria Don Boni.
by Farley Elliott Updated
8 comments / new

While many may consider birria to be a relatively recent trend around Los Angeles (as in the past few years), the truth is that birria has held a warm, delicious place in the heart of many Angelenos for generations. Today, old school spots like the 1948-era Birrieria Tepeche in Long Beach mix with social media stars Teddy’s Red Tacos and East LA legends like Birrieria Gonzalez to form a complex, comforting scene that goes way beyond the crispy, cheesy tacos and Instagram virality. Here now are 14 quality spots to dive into beef and goat birria around Los Angeles.

Add: Birria El Jalisciense, Birrieria Don Boni, Birrieria El Guero

Remove: LA Birria, Birrieria Calvillo Aguascalientes

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. Please be aware of changing local rules, and check individual restaurant websites for any additional restrictions such as mask requirements. Find a local vaccination site here.

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Birrieria Apatzingan

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Pacoima’s Birrieria Apatzingan serves on a crowded corner lot occupied by a recycling center and liquor store, but the classic Valley Mexican restaurant serves ample portions of slowly stewed goat meat in a brothy bowl. Mellowed with spices, the tender goat meat handles the hearty tortillas with ease.

10040 Laurel Canyon Blvd, Pacoima, CA 91331
(818) 890-6265
(818) 890-6265
A beige bowl of glistening red goat birria topped with cilantro and onion on a table outdoors. Matthew Kang

Also featured in:

Birrieria San Marcos

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Long lines form most nights for Birrieria San Marcos out at the edge of North Hills and Van Nuys. The staple stop gets its tortillas extra crispy, for that perfect blend of cheese, meat, and crunch.

8633 Woodley Ave, North Hills, CA 91343
(818) 946-6711
(818) 946-6711

Birrieria Villalobos

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One of the biggest stars to emerge from the Tijuana birria taco wars has been Birrieria Villalobos. The truck runs every day but Wednesday on the border of Boyle Heights and East LA, just north of the famed Los Cinco Puntos.

439 N Indiana St, Los Angeles, CA 90033

Birrieria Don Boni

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This longtime birria operator has been holding it down in Boyle Heights since 1972, and still relies on a family recipe that dates back more than a century.

1845 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033
(323) 262-4552
(323) 262-4552
An overhead shot of roasted meat on bone with broth and tortillas.
A colorful table at Birrieria Don Boni.
Birrieria Don Boni.

El Parian Restaurant

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While birria has become a certified street food craze over the past few years, longtime Angelenos know that some of the best old school stuff can be found at El Parian on Pico Boulevard. Championed by the late Jonathan Gold, this is the spot for homey bowls of goat.

1528 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 386-7361
(213) 386-7361
El Parian’s bowl of goat birria served in a deep red sauce.
A bowl of birria from El Parian
Crystal Coser

Also featured in:

Tacos Y Birria La Unica

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The hype is real at Tacos y Birria La Unica — and so are the lines. This daily Boyle Heights rig plays to hundreds of diners per day, all of whom come for the beef (res) or goat (chivo) birria options served inside crispy handmade tortillas.

2840 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023
(323) 715-4025
(323) 715-4025
A white plate three radishes, a lime, and two birria-soaked quesabirria tacos topped with onions and cilantro.
Tacos y Birria la Unica
Farley Elliott

Also featured in:

Birria El Jalisciense

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This busy Boyle Heights street stand down the way from Tacos Y Birria La Unica sells out often, so look for the large birria de chivo banner when arriving early.

3442 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023

Birrieria Gonzalez

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All the real East LA birria heads love Birrieria Gonzalez. The Whittier Boulevard mainstay keeps feeding the masses with its giant tacos filled to crispy perfection with slow-stewed meats, and they show no signs of slowing down soon.

5458 Whittier Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90022
(323) 675-7333
(323) 675-7333
Birria tacos from Birrieria Gonzalez
Birrieria Gonzalez
Matthew Kang

Also featured in:

Burritos La Palma

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There is no greater hype for shredded and stewed beef in LA than the kind found at Burritos La Palma. The smallish, loosely-rolled concoctions began life out in El Monte but now sport locations across the city, and can even be bought as frozen burrito packs from local stores.

3939 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90037
(213) 419-9465
(213) 419-9465
Burrito Los Angeles
Burritos La Palma
Joshua Lurie

Also featured in:

Teddy’s Red Tacos Venice

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Teddy’s Red Tacos has effortlessly made the transition from standalone truck parked off Slauson to Instagram star. Owner Teddy Vasquez even got to appear in a Super Bowl commercial in 2019, and was among the first to take his birria to the touristy masses with his location out in Venice.

46 Windward Ave, Venice, CA 90291
teddys red tacos
Teddy’s Red Tacos
Teddy’s Red Tacos [official]

Also featured in:

Birrieria El Guero

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The handmade tortillas at this staple spot off Alameda make Birrieria El Guero a must for folks just dipping their toes into consomme waters.

6365 Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90001
(323) 582-7235
(323) 582-7235

Birrieria Gomez

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Birrieria Gomez has the unique distinction of being among the most prominent birria street food stops operating anywhere in the South Bay. The Lennox-based outfit is not far from the beach and right below Inglewood, and runs every day except Monday.

10670 S La Cienega Blvd, Lennox, CA 90304

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Birrieria Jalisco

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This multi-location South LA spot has been using a family recipe for decades, turning out heaping platters of goat birria for local fans.

3180 E Imperial Hwy unit d, Lynwood, CA 90262
(310) 639-5123
(310) 639-5123

Birrieria Tepechi

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This Long Beach stalwart has been turning out meals for roughly 75 years, and while the menu maneuvers between snacks like taquitos and big plate fare like fajitas, locals know to opt for the big bowls of bone-in goat birria.

1440 Santa Fe Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813
(562) 437-4141
(562) 437-4141

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Birrieria Apatzingan

10040 Laurel Canyon Blvd, Pacoima, CA 91331

Pacoima’s Birrieria Apatzingan serves on a crowded corner lot occupied by a recycling center and liquor store, but the classic Valley Mexican restaurant serves ample portions of slowly stewed goat meat in a brothy bowl. Mellowed with spices, the tender goat meat handles the hearty tortillas with ease.

10040 Laurel Canyon Blvd, Pacoima, CA 91331
(818) 890-6265
(818) 890-6265
A beige bowl of glistening red goat birria topped with cilantro and onion on a table outdoors. Matthew Kang

Birrieria San Marcos

8633 Woodley Ave, North Hills, CA 91343

Long lines form most nights for Birrieria San Marcos out at the edge of North Hills and Van Nuys. The staple stop gets its tortillas extra crispy, for that perfect blend of cheese, meat, and crunch.

8633 Woodley Ave, North Hills, CA 91343
(818) 946-6711
(818) 946-6711

Birrieria Villalobos

439 N Indiana St, Los Angeles, CA 90033

One of the biggest stars to emerge from the Tijuana birria taco wars has been Birrieria Villalobos. The truck runs every day but Wednesday on the border of Boyle Heights and East LA, just north of the famed Los Cinco Puntos.

439 N Indiana St, Los Angeles, CA 90033

Birrieria Don Boni

1845 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033

This longtime birria operator has been holding it down in Boyle Heights since 1972, and still relies on a family recipe that dates back more than a century.

1845 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033
(323) 262-4552
(323) 262-4552
An overhead shot of roasted meat on bone with broth and tortillas.
A colorful table at Birrieria Don Boni.
Birrieria Don Boni.

El Parian Restaurant

1528 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015

While birria has become a certified street food craze over the past few years, longtime Angelenos know that some of the best old school stuff can be found at El Parian on Pico Boulevard. Championed by the late Jonathan Gold, this is the spot for homey bowls of goat.

1528 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 386-7361
(213) 386-7361
El Parian’s bowl of goat birria served in a deep red sauce.
A bowl of birria from El Parian
Crystal Coser

Tacos Y Birria La Unica

2840 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023

The hype is real at Tacos y Birria La Unica — and so are the lines. This daily Boyle Heights rig plays to hundreds of diners per day, all of whom come for the beef (res) or goat (chivo) birria options served inside crispy handmade tortillas.

2840 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023
(323) 715-4025
(323) 715-4025
A white plate three radishes, a lime, and two birria-soaked quesabirria tacos topped with onions and cilantro.
Tacos y Birria la Unica
Farley Elliott

Birria El Jalisciense

3442 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023

This busy Boyle Heights street stand down the way from Tacos Y Birria La Unica sells out often, so look for the large birria de chivo banner when arriving early.

3442 E Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90023

Birrieria Gonzalez

5458 Whittier Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90022

All the real East LA birria heads love Birrieria Gonzalez. The Whittier Boulevard mainstay keeps feeding the masses with its giant tacos filled to crispy perfection with slow-stewed meats, and they show no signs of slowing down soon.

5458 Whittier Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90022
(323) 675-7333
(323) 675-7333
Birria tacos from Birrieria Gonzalez
Birrieria Gonzalez
Matthew Kang

Burritos La Palma

3939 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90037

There is no greater hype for shredded and stewed beef in LA than the kind found at Burritos La Palma. The smallish, loosely-rolled concoctions began life out in El Monte but now sport locations across the city, and can even be bought as frozen burrito packs from local stores.

3939 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90037
(213) 419-9465
(213) 419-9465
Burrito Los Angeles
Burritos La Palma
Joshua Lurie

Teddy’s Red Tacos Venice

46 Windward Ave, Venice, CA 90291

Teddy’s Red Tacos has effortlessly made the transition from standalone truck parked off Slauson to Instagram star. Owner Teddy Vasquez even got to appear in a Super Bowl commercial in 2019, and was among the first to take his birria to the touristy masses with his location out in Venice.

46 Windward Ave, Venice, CA 90291
teddys red tacos
Teddy’s Red Tacos
Teddy’s Red Tacos [official]

Birrieria El Guero

6365 Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90001

The handmade tortillas at this staple spot off Alameda make Birrieria El Guero a must for folks just dipping their toes into consomme waters.

6365 Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90001
(323) 582-7235
(323) 582-7235

Birrieria Gomez

10670 S La Cienega Blvd, Lennox, CA 90304

Birrieria Gomez has the unique distinction of being among the most prominent birria street food stops operating anywhere in the South Bay. The Lennox-based outfit is not far from the beach and right below Inglewood, and runs every day except Monday.

10670 S La Cienega Blvd, Lennox, CA 90304

Birrieria Jalisco

3180 E Imperial Hwy unit d, Lynwood, CA 90262

This multi-location South LA spot has been using a family recipe for decades, turning out heaping platters of goat birria for local fans.

3180 E Imperial Hwy unit d, Lynwood, CA 90262
(310) 639-5123
(310) 639-5123

Birrieria Tepechi

1440 Santa Fe Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813

This Long Beach stalwart has been turning out meals for roughly 75 years, and while the menu maneuvers between snacks like taquitos and big plate fare like fajitas, locals know to opt for the big bowls of bone-in goat birria.

1440 Santa Fe Ave, Long Beach, CA 90813
(562) 437-4141
(562) 437-4141

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